History

History

Home [Noun] : the place in which one’s domestic affections are centered; the place or region where something is native or most common; any place of residence or refuge

The Findery was born out of a vision to re-define home and has grown because of our deep passion for people, combined with the desire to serve others well. The Findery’s story began in 2015 when co-owner, Tiffany Fatheree, was looking for a place to expand her previous shop, Jute. When the Percy Medicine Building came on the market, that expansion quickly evolved into an even larger dream—a dream of a unique shop that would welcome visitors with open arms and a sense of peace—and thus, The Findery was born.

The Percy Medicine Building was a vision in the rough—Our family spent countless hours restoring the 100 year old building to it’s original, raw state. We spent days pulling thousands of nails from its old wooden floor that we were told couldn’t be salvaged; spent many nights removing asphalt and chicken wire to reveal the original flooring; and worked tirelessly to grind down the layers and layers of paint from its old brick walls.

As we brought new life into our building, we saw a blank canvas for The Findery to come to life and evolve. With a larger space, the excitement surrounding The Findery grew, and so did the desire for others to be a part of the dream. With prayerful consideration and much thought, vendors were hand selected to join The Findery family and call it home. Now we have six incredible friends, partners and visionaries, that bring a certain richness to The Findery in a way we could not have accomplished on our own.

The Findery will continue to grow and evolve, just as time continues to tick. Yet, we will always hold tight to our dedication to serve—whether that be through old-fashioned customer service, thoughtful design advice or re-defining what home means to you. Our desire is for each of our customers to leave feeling valued, known, and at peace.

A Little History on the Percy Medicine Building

A. W. Percy, a buggy whip salesman, was traveling by train with his family from New York to their new home in Waco, Texas in 1898 when his young son Albert became sick with an upset stomach. The family stopped in Kentucky and found a local physician, Dr. McDonald, who prescribed a bismuth subsalicylate-based remedy. Albert recovered but became sick again upon arrival in Waco. A. W. Percy, who had received a copy of the prescription, asked the local pharmacist, W. S. Merrick, to compound the medicine for his son. Thus began their partnership and the launch of Baby Percy Medicine.

In 1904, the Merrick Medicine Company was founded by Merrick and Percy. The Percy Medicine Building was built in 1908 at the corner of 8th and Webster, where it still stands today. In 1938, Baby was dropped from the name of the sole product sold by the company. Percy Medicine still retains its original formula of bismuth subsalicylate, calcium hydroxide, potassium carbonate, rhubarb extract, sugar, cinnamon, and orange flavoring.

Mules were once employed to haul product from the loading dock to a nearby train station. Legend has it that Babe Ruth knocked a baseball out of long-gone Katy Park in Downtown Waco during a New York Yankees barnstorming stop — and it landed atop the Percy building. Until 2010, Percy Medicine was still produced at the original factory at the intersection of 8th and Webster in Waco, but since that time manufacturing has been outsourced to a company in Texarkana. Because Percy Medicine contains 5% alcohol, the Merrick Company holds the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission’s oldest continuously active industrial alcohol permit, first issued in 1939.